Needles on fire

Me: Let's just go in Phildar real quick and see what's on sale. I'm not going to buy anything.
Him: Okay, no problem.
Me: Oh, maybe I'll just take one of these.
Him: This is nice too.
Me: But, but I don't really need it.
Him: But it would be a cute hat, don't you think?
Me: Yeah. Okay. I'll take that.
Him: Oh look at this! This is really nice... And this too... Don't you like this color too? I really like this... You might as well take a bunch of them. Why are you only getting 4? Look, there is a whole bag of white right here! Don't you want some of this?



I ended up with 4 skeins of Phil Onde in Volcan (magenta-->orange) plus 2 of the orange ones to make who knows what but I've been dying to knit something orange.
Some Phil Ruban just because I have never knit in a ribbon. I have never been curious enough to buy any full price, but on sale, that's another story.
And 12 skeins of Coton no 8: 1 Acier (variegated gray), 1 denim (variegated blue), 2 ecru, 4 blanc and 4 lagon.

I have no plans for any of this. Oh well. It will resurface from my stash sometime in the next 10 years.

update:
First of all, my apologies to Carrie who somehow didn't make it into my sidebar. She's there now. You have to go look at her seriously beautiful Frost Flowers shawl from A Gathering Of Lace

Check out Brynne! She has already finished her waving lace socks!!! She just zoomed by the rest of us lace alongers and left us in the dust! We hope she has time to finish the rest of her projects before the little one comes.

And a big fat welcome to Karin who's making Interweave Knit's Victoria Tank when she's not breast feeding her little guy, Magnus. There's also Sylvia who's making a shawl for her DD in green laceweight merino that "knits up like a cloud" and Lisa who's making a shawl from Knitters Stash and loves goats just a little less than her children.

Brynne's quick work has forced me to make a not very beautiful, but functional lace along gallery

As for me and my progress: I didn't knit my 10 rows yesterday. Nor will I do it today. It's the beginning of the end! I have gotten kind of side-tracked on a project which I'm pretty excited about. I'll explain later. For the time being I will just say, my hands and needles are black because of it.

Yesterday I got to hang out with Anna, who came up to Paris from Dijon. We ate gelato (I know we're not in Italy- it was an Italian store) in a wind storm and went to Le Bon Marche (linen drape on sale), La Samaritaine (Phile Onde on sale), and La Droguerie (never has sales?) and I didn't buy a darned thing. It was cool to hang out with another American and talk about our Bourguignon SOs.

I have been stubbornly knitting away on my stole but I have decided that it is getting too risky to take it anywhere. It's an accident waiting to happen so I will just keep it at home from now on. I just have to get my mindless metro knitting worked out. Here's the progress:



From now on I promise to update only when there is more significant progress. I know that it just seems like it's going fast at the beginning and will eventually feel slow and painful. I've changed a little thingy. Inside the waves there are normally 3 holes in a row. It looked a little too holy for me. Almost like it were accidental. So there are only 2 holes per wave per row.

Thanks to all of you who have given me your opinion on the needle dilemma. I have to say that they are working quite well. I think I might not even put any oil or nailpolish or wax or anything on them because as I use them they are getting smoother. I may even sharpen them again.

Here are some calculations I figured I might as well do while typing. Plus that way you all can yell at me if I decide to get lazy and make it way too short or something.
1 repeat worked on US size 4 needles = 4.75 inches
Goal for length of stole = 80 inches
80 inches = 16.842105263 repeats. (let's just say 17)
1 repeat = 32 rows
17 x 32 = 544 rows to work – the 34 I have already worked = 520 rows left to work (not including the top border and bind off)
1 row = 6 minutes
520 rows x 6 minutes = 3120 minutes (or 52 hours)
No sweat! I'll have it done on Saturday! I'm kidding. I'm not particularly worried but I don't think it will be done next week. I'd like to work 10 rows a day. 16 would be even better. We'll see if I can stick to it. I suppose the longer I work on it the harder it will be to take anywhere, so I should carry it around now. tired. must sleep.

I spent a little time Sunday night casting on and ended up finishing the bottom border. Yesterday I started the pattern. I am on row 18 of 31 in the repeat. I'm changing the pattern a bit. I'll explain later. Have a great day! I'm off to teach people how to express themselves fluently in English. yeah right!

I sharpened bamboo needles with one of those spinning drill/sander/multi-tool things. The before needle is black from knitting black Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. I'm pretty happy with the result but they aren't as smooth as they were so I'm thinking of buying some really glossy nailpolish and painting the tips. Do you think it will work? Has anyone else tried this?

I was trying to clean up the family room and realized that most of the mess was mine. Oops. What's more, it's all yarn. I decided that I just couldn't take the knots and tangles and mess anymore so I'm organizing everything. I wish I had taken a before picture. Here's the after picture:



That's my bag of cotton and cotton blends on the left and the bag of wool and wool blends on the right. There is also another smaller bag with a bit of mohair and some random yarns. I'm not much on acrylics, but as you can see, I love color. I do knit things in natural colored wools. It just seems that all the yarns I impulse buy are bright colored. This is just my stash in France. I have a little stash in the US too. I think there isn't probably much left since I keep bringing stuff over here. I haven't visited my poor, lonely American stash in over a year. I think that most of the yarn over there is the yarn I bought for a Kaffe Fassett sweater that I finished most of the body and one arm for. Then I abandoned it. When I went back to it I was a much more experienced knitter and thought I should probably just rip it all out and start over. I may do that some day. In the meantime it sits in one of those big popcorn tins that sometimes people give you for Christmas. You know what I'm talking about?

I think I have finally made a decision for the stole. I was going to do the forest path, then no, then yes, then... Now, I think that stress, fear and exhaustion have won out. It is not meant to be because a) the yarn is too fuzzy to really show off the pattern b) I think I will end up in tears and have too many other projects that are too important to me and most importantly, c) reason deleted in case a particular French guy out there is reading this - you'll have to imagine
The Edwardian Lace wrap is out as well because I think that even though I could probably memorise the pattern, I am sure I will screw up royally and be pissed off. Plus, I'm afraid the whole diamond pattern isn't what I was looking for. This also eliminates the Puzzle wrap.
My own invention is brewing and has nothing to do with that gob of a swatch I posted the other day, but it will have to be for later (my second marriage? I'm kidding!). I don't have the time to design AND test AND knit it. Oh well. I will just have to wear someone else's design, which is honestly the most disappointing thing to me. I have gotten used to designing everything I make. I haven't followed a pattern in years and kind of thought of all occasions, this is the one where I would most like to wear something of my own.
This leaves the Baltic Sea Stole. I like it for it's wavy lines. I like that it is both lacy and not so lacy, because I am really not a lacy kind of girl. I also like that you cast on, you knit it and you cast off. There is no edging to add on or farting around. I think this is what I need.

but hey, I may change my mind again.

update:
The following text was written by Julia FC and generously given to me so I wouldn't have to retype it all:

In no particular order, here is the list of objects that the amazing and brave knitters who have signed up for the Lace Along have decided to make.
I can't wait to see
Chelsea's the Fiddlesticks Lotus Blossom Shawl in wine
Margene's Alice Starmore Seaweed Wrap,
Leigh's orange tencel doily,
Norma's something undetermined out of some custom-spun laceweight with beads!
Larissa's Gibson Girl pullover from the latest Interweave Knits out of Koigu.
Teresa's Victoria Tank from the summer IK.
Carrie's Frost Flowers shawl from A Gathering Of Lace (it's already amazing!)
Alison's Fiddlesticks Garden Shawl,
Nicole's lacy shawl from the summer Interweave Knits,
Linda's lacy cardi from a recent
Jaeger magazine,
Becky's lacy cardigan, even though there is no sign of it yet on her blog-- she's good for it--
Jessica's Birch (even if she still hasn't posted our button on her blog yet either,
Something great from Abby (maybe a bookmark?)
Amanda's mystery something,
Brynne's waving lace socks from the Spring 2004 Interweave Knits,
Marjorie's two-pronged project of a lace top using Jaeger Albany and a free Rowan lace pattern,
Jenny's Victoria Tank from Summer 2004 Interweave Knits in Schachenmayer Catania,
Caroline's - Shetland Shoulder Shawl from Debbie Bliss' treasure "Traditional Knitting from the Scottish and Irish Isles"
Katie's lacy cardigan "Alice" from Rowan #35, AND
Julia is making the Lacy Leaf shawl by Aloisia Pollock.

It's not too late to join by the way. GO TEAM GO!

and not a stole to knit! I've already used about half a ball of Kidsilk Haze and I am no closer to a decision.

Second runner up: The Safety Pin

It's a stitch holder. It's a stitch marker. It can pin little reminders to your work.

First runner up: If the winner is unable to to fulfil its reign as Kate's favorite knitting tool, the first runner up will step in to fulfill that duty... The Bowl

It holds your ball in one place so it doesn't fall on your dirty floor or get in tangle when your doing two color knitting.

And the winner of the 2004 favorite knitting tool award is: The Paper Clip!

It's a stitch holder. It's a place marker. Unfold it and it's a cable needle. It's the best. And look what I just found! I'm not the only one who says so!

and I'm indecisive... and a perfectionist... and probably boring you all with this stupid stole saga. I just got my package from Heirloom Knitting and there are a bunch that I think are nice, but I am looking for balance between going crazy with a pattern and being incredibly bored. Even on patterns I liked I could never resist making some changes. So, here are the options I'm considering. Should I:
a) exactly follow one of the patterns and also make what I had in mind for the fall knitty.
b) change but kind of follow one of the patterns and make what I had in mind for the fall knitty.
c) make a stole that is completely my own and use it for the fall knitty so I kill 2 birds with one stone.
d) do any of the above but don't send anything to knitty because I am too damned busy working, planning a wedding and preparing for a potential move overseas.
e) screw it all and buy a stole Actually, I veto this option

I was at Paris Tricot tonight and it was fun! Listen to French radio next Wednesday to hear us talk about our knitting group and witness my massacre of the French language. Nelly, Julia, Marie, Abigail and Marie-Thé were there.

Hope all of you out there are well and enjoying beautiful weather.

I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been kind enough to read my blog and comment and give me advice on patterns. I still can't make up my mind, but I appreciate your suggestions! Today I was knitting a big fat test in the Kidsilk Haze to see what I could do. I was testing ideas and might just design something myself. I tried to take a picture but it just looks hazy.

I also wanted to say WELCOME! to all you lace alongers out there. Julia and I are really excited to see what you make.

My percentage bars on the left never move, but I have FOs anyway. Here's a hat:



Last night I was swatching with some black Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. It's soft, it's pretty, it will turn your bamboo needles blue. It probably photographs like crap too. I'll try later when the swatch is looking less swatchy and more future gorgeous FO-ish

I had decided that it was too insane... I had decided it was a bad, bad idea. I am now reconsidering. I am thinking about making the forest path for the lace along. I started knitting a swatch of the Baltic Sea Stole. And though it's pretty. I'm just not loving it. I don't know. I haven't gotten my heirloom knitting patterns yet, but I think I am going to hold off on those unless I immediately fall in love with one when I get them. Anyone have any entrelac knowledge who could help me with this little enigma? I need to figure out how to make that little pink triangle in the second picture or I need to know if screwing with an already complicated pattern is just a really bad idea. I think I can figure it out...

I was chatting with Julia FC (who is a riot by the way) and she was saying that she was in a lace kind of mood too. So we are starting a... drum roll, please

LACE ALONG !

Here are the rules:
1. Make whatever you want as long as there are (intentional) holes in it.
2. Use whatever yarn you want.
3. Finish it whenver you want.
4. It would be cool if you took our snazzy little button and stuck it on your blog. But you don't HAVE TO.
5. Have fun and have no regrets.



Julia and I are co-hosting, so comment in one of our blogs, or email one of us and your in.

Anouk! She came to hang out with us for a few hours this afternoon. Nous nous sommes éclatés! (we had a blast) We napped, we played with a volvic bottle and we laughed hysterically when I pressed my face against the side of the playpen.

For the stole, I have ordered the entire Simply Stunning series from Heirloom Knitting. I messed up when I was ordering and they were great about fixing up the problem. My mom has also bought me the Baltic Sea Stole pattern which she will be scanning and emailing me and/or sending it in the mail. I had pretty much decided that I didn't want the stress and pressure involved in making the Forest Path Stole, but Julia's comments are making me wonder if I shouldn't make it after all. Yeah I know, I 'm going overboard, but at least I'll have choice!


Here's a hat I made pretty so quickly I didn't get a chance to put the picture up. It's Tanguy. I made it with 2 strands of Rowan 4 ply held together. It is a bit stiffer than my original cotton version. I kind of like it that way.

the Forest Path Stole by Faina Letoutchaia from the Summer 2003 IWK (see picture below). I would probably make it a little shorter because I really think it is a bit long for me and maybe I would make it even one block thinner.
Heirloom Knitting's Green Moss Shawl
Heirloom Knitting's Pink Puzzle wrap
Fiber Trends Baltic Sea Stole
Silvia Harding's Gothic Leaf Stole

I think I really want something rectangular which eliminates the Green Moss Shawl, but I'm probably going to order the pattern anyway. I have emailed for dimensions of the baltic sea stole, because I really can't tell from the picture and I'm afraid it's a bit small. Place your votes anyway.

I want to knit this:



I think I must be nuts. It's the Forest Path Stole by Faina Letoutchaia from the Summer 2003 IWK. It's entrelac and has 103 blocks, plus the edge triangles and the borders. I think I must be nuts. Please, someone out there, TALK ME OUT OF THIS (or into it). I guess I could make it shorter... or thinner... or shorter and thinner... If I don't make this stole, I will make another one. Here are my own rules for this project:

1. This can't be an ever-lasting project. It would have to be done by September 15th. That leaves me 3 and a half months.
2. I have to be able to use Rowan Kidsilk Haze.
3. It can't make me completely nuts and abandon half way through. This MUST become a FO on time!
4. It has to be pretty, delicate and elegant. Not super geometric or granny looking or chunky...

Here are some other shawls I am considering:

Cherry Blossom Shawl by Kristin Spurkland from the Spring 2002 IWK.
Heirloom Knitting's Green Moss Shawl but I would make it in the magenta Kidsilk Haze I already have.
Heirloom Knitting's Pink Puzzle wrap, although I'm afraid it's a little too geometric for what I want.
EZ's Pi Shawl, but I kind of wanted something rectangular...
Not Just Plain Jane Knits Renaissance Shawl I love this one, but something makes me hesitate.

Please help me make a wise decision. Vote in the comments and tell me what you like.